Google Workspace Changes

Full launch of the new Google Drive UI

The new Google Drive user interface is being fully launched to Google Apps customers, and the option to revert to the old UI will be removed. The rollout begins for Rapid release customers on June 23, 2015, followed by Scheduled release customers on July 7, 2015. Users are advised to upgrade to supported browsers as older versions (Chrome 23, Firefox 23, IE9, and Safari 6) are not compatible.

Google Apps Password Sync 1.4 is now available.

Google Apps Password Sync (GAPS) version 1.4 has been released to fix an issue where the application would silently crash after failing to retrieve the email address attribute for an account from Active Directory. While this issue was primarily observed on Windows Server 2003, the update is recommended for all Windows Server versions.

Insert images into Google Sheets while offline

Users can now insert images into Google Sheets when working offline in the Chrome browser, provided that offline access has been enabled. Any images inserted while offline will be synced once the user regains internet connectivity.

Introduction of protected cell warnings to prevent accidental edits.

To facilitate safer collaboration, Google Sheets now allows owners to set warnings for individuals who attempt to edit certain cells, reducing unintended changes like typos without requiring complex permission settings.

Pivot table enhancements with calculated fields and GETPIVOTDATA function.

Google Sheets has introduced calculated fields to pivot tables, allowing users to apply formulas to pivot table data, and the GETPIVOTDATA function to retrieve specific data from a pivot table.

New data analysis tools including formula previews and conditional filtering.

Users can now preview formula results and errors instantly as they type and filter rows and columns based on specific conditions such as 'less than', 'greater than', 'text contains', and 'date after'.

Enhanced chart customization options in Google Sheets.

Google Sheets now offers more ways to visualize data with the addition of data labels to display exact values of bars and points, custom shapes and symbols for data points in line and scatter charts, and improved functionality for moving and resizing charts.

Google Slides app now supports Chromecast and AirPlay.

The Google Slides app has been updated to enable users to present their presentations on big screens using Chromecast or AirPlay from a phone or tablet. While presenting, the mobile device can be used as a remote to advance slides, view speaker notes, and monitor a timer.

Full-view screen sharing for Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts is launching full-view screen sharing, which allows shared content to occupy as much of the visible screen area as possible. In 'Present to everyone' mode or when a participant is pinned, attendee thumbnails will overlay the content at the bottom by default, and a new button in the control bar allows participants to hide these thumbnails.

Introduction of iOS Account Wipe (Selective Wipe) for corporate data.

Google Apps admins can now use iOS Account Wipe (Selective Wipe) to safely delete an employee's corporate account and data from an iPhone or iPad without affecting the employee's personal data, such as photos. This is distinct from the existing Remote Wipe functionality which wipes the entire device.

Updated Google Apps Device Policy app to display more Work Profile information.

The Google Apps Device Policy app for Android has been updated to provide admins with more detailed information when an employee is using a Work Profile, including the status of unknown sources, developer options, and the domain names of other accounts added to the Work Profile.

Google Docs now supports exporting non-Latin text and specific unicode blocks to Microsoft Word.

Google Docs on desktop now allows users to export documents containing non-Latin scripts—including Armenian, Bengali, Devanagari, and 13 others—as well as various unicode blocks like Arrows, Bopomofo, and mathematical operators, to Microsoft Word while maintaining readability. This update facilitates better collaboration for users working in more than 25 different languages.

New UI and performance improvements for the Google Drive app for iOS.

A new version of the Google Drive app for iOS is available, introducing a new material design, faster syncing with Google Drive web, improved image viewing and scrolling (removing the 'Load more' requirement), and a swipe gesture to go back.

Launch of privacy.google.com for privacy and security information.

Google has rolled out a new site, privacy.google.com, which serves as a resource to answer common questions about data collection, security, encryption, and spam filtering, explaining how personal information is used to customize the Google experience.

Introduction of sign-in alerts for unrecognized devices or browsers.

Starting June 15th, Google for Work account owners will receive email notifications when a sign-in occurs from an unrecognized browser or device. Users can also monitor a list of recently used devices and new sign-ins on their Sign-in & security page to take quick action against suspicious activity.